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Armor for the Christian Life

Within Scripture, two sets of armor are described for the Christian. Panoplia (πανοπλία) is the heavy armor used by Roman soldiers for defense. Hopion (ὅπλον) expresses a weapon of warfare that can included armor.

When the Chief Priests and Pharisees dispatched a troop of roman soldiers to arrest Jesus, they came armed with weapons (ὅπλον), John 18:3.

As we apply the truth to overcome the desires from the sin nature, after reckoning to ourselves that we have died with Christ and are co-raised with Him to walk in newness of life, we are to yield our members as instruments (ὅπλον) of righteousness, Romans 6:13.

The night is well spent, the day is near. Therefore, we are to cast of the works of darkness, putting on the armor (ὅπλον) of light, Romans 13:12, so that we walk properly as in the day, having put on Christ as our outer garment so that we are making no provisions for the flesh and its desires, Romans 13:13-14. This armor (ὅπλον) includes the breastplate of faith and the helmet of salvation, 1 Thessalonians 5:8.

When dealing with persecution and tribulation, we are to commend ourselves as those who belong to God by the internet ability of God, through the use of the armor (ὅπλον) of righteousness, 2 Corinthians 6:7.

Our daily armaments (ὅπλον) of warfare are not carnal but in the inherent ability of God we use them to tear down strongholds, which are the reasonings that exalt themselves above God, bringing the working of our minds into obedience to the Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5.

Panoplia (πανοπλία) is our heavy armor that is used when we are attacked by Satan so that we are able to stand firm against him, Ephesians 6:11. With […]

Armor for the Christian LifeLuther Walker2024-11-14T06:34:39-08:00

Laying Hold of Eternal Life

Godliness with contentment is great gain. Yet, some seek to deceive the saints by teaching that financial gain is a means of godliness. This false doctrine is also known as the prosperity gospel. The fondness of money is a root of all wrong, and those who follow after it will stray from the faith in their greed, 1 Timothy 6:3-10. Therefore, we are to put away the fondness of money and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and objectivity of mind, 1 Timothy 6:11, for in doing so, we will take hold of eternal life, 1 Timothy 6:12. Those who are rich in this present age are not to be high minded, trusting in uncertain riches; rather, they are to do good works, being rich in proper works, generous, fellowshipping, so that they store up for themselves a proper foundation for the time to come, taking hold of eternal life, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, for those who determine to be wealthy fall into temptation and a snare, leading them into many harmful and foolish desires, 1 Timothy 6:5.

A person who continues a lifestyle of sin after being saved is not taking hold of eternal life. We are to lay aside the things of the old man and put on the new, Colossians 3:9-10, while abstaining from fleshly desires that war against our soul (emotions), 1 Peter 2:11. Although sin does not take away the salvation of the one who is saved, for nothing can separate us from the love of God, Romans 8:39, it still needs to be dealt with. One who is clean only needs to wash his feet, John 13:10. Unfortunately, many saints walk around with filthy feet because they continue to walk in […]

Laying Hold of Eternal LifeLuther Walker2023-12-14T07:52:56-08:00

The Spark of Life ( נְשָׁמָה- Neshamah)

When God created Adam, after forming him from the dust of the ground, He breathed the breath of lives into his nostrils and Adam became a living soul¹. Neshamah is used twenty-five times in Scripture to describe the breath of those who are living; however, it is only used twice with lives. God breathed the breath of life into Adam and during the description of the devastation of the flood upon the earth, all flesh that was upon the dry land died; all that had the breath of the spirit of lives within it, Genesis 7:22. This includes humans, birds, cattle, and beasts along with the Nephilim, who would also have possessed the breath of lives because they are a perversion of spirit and human beings that have a physical body. Animals are included because they have a fleshly based body and therefore must breathe just as the human body requires breath to live.

Breath by itself is primarily used concerning the breath in humans. In Joshua 11:11-14 all those who had breath were destroyed, but the animals were not. When God brought Israel into the land, the wicked inhabitants of the land was destroyed. As Joshua led them into the land, they fought against the kings and left none with breath alive². Sometimes they wiped out the animals along with the humans, and other times they were permitted to take possession of the animals.

Ruach (רוּחַ) describes the spirit of a human, Job 32:8, Nephesh (נֶפֶשׁ) describes the soul, and Neshamah (נְשָׁמָה) relates to the life within the physical body. When God breathed the breath of lives into Adam, he became a living soul; therefore, the breath of life is not the […]

The Spark of Life ( נְשָׁמָה- Neshamah)Luther Walker2023-11-23T18:04:53-08:00

The Daily Christian Life – Dealing with the Strongholds in Our Mind

For our weapons of warfare are not fleshly, but inherent ability by the God towards the tearing down of strongholds, casting down logics and every high thing lifting itself up against the knowledge of the God and bringing every thought into captivity into the obedience of the Christ, 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Within our mind we can build up strongholds that are very difficult to overcome. These can be false beliefs or temptations like living by law, speaking in tongues, drinking alcohol, pornography, lying, stealing or anything else that holds us. Often these strongholds are built with the help of others who influence what we believe and how we perceive life. However, when they come up against the knowledge of God, we struggle to overcome them.

Dealing with what goes through our minds can be very difficult when we are not using the methods provided for us in Christ. Our battle is not fleshly, it is spiritual, it is a battle for the mind, and this is why it is important for us to frame our minds correctly. Remember, framing the mind is about setting a proper boundary around who you are and what you allow to remain in your mind. As Christians our frame of mind needs to be on the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above where the Christ is seated at the right hand of the God, Frame your mind of the things above, not the things upon the earth – Colossians 3:1, 2

Having this frame of mind, we can then compare the thoughts in our mind with whether or not they fit and if they […]

The Daily Christian Life – Dealing with the Strongholds in Our MindLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:48:15-08:00

The Daily Christian Life – How Law Negatively Impacts Our Lives

Law has been something humans have always struggled with. Using law to justify themselves before God, make society better, or look good before others. Law at its essence is good, for it seeks to do what is righteous. Criminals are punished and the innocent are protected. However, in reality this does not work out that way. Criminal end up making laws that overlook or cover up their wickedness and the innocent are punished, there is no justice. The reason is that all humans have a corruption within them that negatively reacts to law. This is the same issue we face in our Christian life when we try to live by law.

So then indeed the law is holy, and the commandment is holy even righteous and good. – Romans 7:12

It is good, but the issue is our sin nature uses it against us.

For the sin [nature] taking opportunity through the commandment deceived me and through it (the commandment) it killed. – Romans 7:11

So, how do we overcome this and do what is right?

For sin will not rule you, for you are not under law but under grace. – Romans 6:14

God freed us from the law so that we could live in newness of spirit, not in the oldness of the letter

But now we have been rendered ineffective from the law, having died in which we were being held, so that we are slaves in newness of spirit and not to oldness of letter. – Romans 7:6

Because of this, if we obey His commandment we are free from law. He instructed us to love one another, referring to other Christians, as He has loved us. For by this others will know that we are His disciples, […]

The Daily Christian Life – How Law Negatively Impacts Our LivesLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:49:03-08:00

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